THE FRACTURED SOUL

Kael plodded into the dense forest, filled with smells and noises he had never known existed. The feeling of his nerves was frayed, a million questions continuing to whirl inside his mind relating to the fractured sky above and the glowing shard clutched tightly in his hand. He had absolutely no idea where he was or how to get back home, and all instincts in his head shouted for him to be on the move.

The faraway screams and clashing metal froze him on the spot. Kael's heartbeat quickened to a gallop as he listened hard. The treetops muffled the noise somewhat, but one thing was sure: mayhem was being wrought, not too far away from his position. Kael moved toward the commotion against his better judgment, with curiosity outweighing his fear.

As he emerged from the trees, his stomach fell upon what he saw in front of him: a village in tatters, with smoke in curls from smoldering huts. The people were running every which way, pursued by raiders on horseback. The raiders, in jagged armor and carrying cruel-looking weapons, wore masks over their faces.

Kael plastered himself against a tree, shallow breaths heaving his chest. "This is insane," he muttered, staring at the chaos. "What am I supposed to do?

The flash of motion answered the question-in a towering curiously unhurried form of a lone female figure scarlet, like wine-dark hair pulled back down into her braid, gleaming with plain blue armor over grey leathers, she was quick to be accurate in her movements, charging blade and meeting raiders.

Kael watched in awe as she cut down one attacker after another. Her movements were fluid, almost graceful, yet each strike was deadly. The villagers rallied behind her, finding safety in her presence.

One of the raiders broke away from the group, his eyes locking onto Kael. The man charged, his weapon raised high.

"Oh, no," Kael whispered, stumbling backward. He stared at the shard in his hand, its faint glow offering no guidance.

Before the raider could reach him, the warrior intercepted, her sword clashing against the attacker's blade. The force of the impact sent sparks flying. She shoved the raider back with a fierce kick and turned to Kael, her eyes narrowing.

"What are you doing here?" she commanded, the sharpness of her voice cutting like a knife.

"I-uh-I don't know!" Kael stuttered, holding up the shard as if it could explain everything.

Her gaze flicked to the glowing fragment, and her expression darkened. "You have *that*? Are you insane?"

"I didn't ask for this!" Kael shot back, his voice rising in frustration. "It just… happened!"

Their moment of exchange was cut short as another wave of raiders drew near. The warrior growled a curse and jerked her head toward a hut nearby. "Get inside and stay out of the way!"

Reluctant, Kael would have hung back, but a glance from her allowed no debate. He darted inside the hut, crouching low behind a pile of crates. Behind the crates, he watched the warrior fight on, her blade flashing in the light of the burning village.

But where she was unyielding, it seemed, were they too. A towering muscled raider with a big axe of uneven edge jumped to an immediate attack. Off balance, she blocked it-but the impact from the strike made her stumble down to one knee.

Kael's heart was racing as his hand closed tightly around the shard. He could almost see, in a flash of memory, that beast from earlier-the way the shard had reacted to his fear and had let loose some kind of beam of light that had destroyed it.

"Come on," he muttered at the shard. "Do something.".

The shard seemed to respond when it pulsed, its glow suddenly more powerful. Kael strode out into the open and thrust his trembling hand up, bearing aloft the fragment. It emitted a bright beam that struck a square target in the middle of the robust raider's chest. There was a mangled outcry, and the man fell flat.

The warrior looked up, face working with shock and angrе. "I told you to stay out of the way!"

Kael shrugged helplessly, lowering the shard. "You're welcome?

She scowled but said nothing, turning her attention back to the remaining raiders. With Kael's sudden help, the tide of battle turned. The villagers, with the strength of the warrior and the strange power of the shard, began fighting back. The raiders, sensing defeat, retreated into the forest.

With the smoke now clear, people came to thank the warrior, who nodded silently, her eyes never leaving Kael's gaze.

"Who are you?" she then said, striding towards him.

Kael swallowed hard. "Kael Morrin. And before you ask, I have no idea how I got here. One minute I was on Earth, and the next… well, this." He held up the shard.

Her eyes narrowed. "That shard shouldn't exist in your world. Let alone end up in the hands of someone like you.

Kael bristled at the sharpness in her tone. "Look, I didn't exactly sign up for this. I was doing my job, digging through old ruins, and then-poof-I'm here. Trust me, if I had a choice, I wouldn't be holding this thing or running from whatever that was.

Rhea pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, her irritation visibly tempered by a thread of concern. "You don't understand the gravity of the situation. This is bad. Really bad."

Kael folded his arms, glancing at the glowing shard in his hand. "Yeah, I'm starting to get that impression," he said, his voice edged with sarcasm. "Mind explaining why, exactly?"

Rhea's sharp gaze softened slightly, and she gestured to the shard. "That fragment you're holding is part of the Aether Crystal—one of the most powerful relics in this world. It's ancient, tied to Aetherion's very survival. Its power is what keeps the fractured sky from completely collapsing."

Kael's brow furrowed, frustration yielding before confusion. "Wait. the sky is collapsing?" He instinctively looked upwards at the strange fragmented heavens above.

"Yes," Rhea said, matter-of-fact. "And when the wrong people know you have that shard, they'll come after you. Raiders like these," she waved her hand at the retreating figures of the defeated raiders, "are only the beginning. More will come…stronger, deadlier, and more desperate."

Kael frowned, clenching the shard tightly in his fist. "So I'm supposed to just run and hide for the rest of my life?"

No," Rhea said, unmistakable and argumentative in her firm tone. "You'll come with me. If you've got that shard, you're already tied into this mess. And if you want to survive long enough to figure out either why you're here or how to get home. you're going to need help.".

He hesitated, his gaze turning to the villagers who had begun to emerge from their hideaways to take stock of their houses. The air was rife with acrid fumes of smoke and that heavy feeling of chaos that had just passed. These people almost lost everything, yet they moved with a resilience Kael couldn't help but admire.

He sighed, slipping the shard into his pocket. "Fine. Lead the way. It's not like I've got better options."

Rhea nodded, the faintest hint of approval in her expression. "Good. The name's Rhea, by the way. Try to keep him with wide, curious eyes." Kael gave the boy a faint smile, but his chest tightened. He didn't belong here, in this strange world with its fractured sky and dangerous relics. Yet here he was, carrying something that seemed to matter far more than he could comprehend.

He took a deep breath and turned, jogging to catch up with Rhea, who was now disappearing into the thick forest lining the borders of the village.

They strolled for some time; the silence stretched between them, until, from time to time, either the rustle of leaves or some odd, faraway cry of a creature caught one's attention. Kael had many questions in his head, but he did not know in which direction to begin. He finally decided to break the ice.

"So, what exactly are we walking into?" Kael asked, head sideways, glancing toward Rhea.

Rhea didn't turn to him to respond, her voice matter-of-fact. "Trouble, most likely. The shard you're carrying is going to attract attention, whether you want it to or not. If we're lucky, we'll reach a safe zone before anyone else finds us."

"Safe zone?" Kael repeated, frowning.

She nodded. "Aetherion is split into elemental continents: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Each one houses its dangers and its protectors, but there are places where a balance is kept. We're headed toward one of those places. If we make it there, we might get answers."

"Might?" Kael asked, his voice skeptical.

Rhea shot him a sharp glance. "Nothing is certain in Aetherion, outsider. If that is something you have not figured out yet, then you will, soon enough."

Kael let out a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. "Great, so no guarantees and loads of danger. Sounds like a dream vacation.

Rhea's lips actually quivered, like she was biting back a smile, before firming once more. "You are alive, aren't you? More than most people crossing raiders' path can boast.

They continued in this silence for a while longer, the woods growing darker, the sun setting below the horizon. Above them, the fractured sky was aflame with weak light, sending broken fragments down to make eerie patterns on the ground.

Kael couldn't help the growing tinge of apprehension. "This place… it's not just dangerous, is it? There's something else. Something… wrong."

Rhea slowed her pace, her expression grim. "You're not wrong. The sky didn't always look like this. Aetherion was whole once, balanced and thriving. Then came the fracture, and everything changed. The elements grew unstable, alliances crumbled, and chaos spread. The shard you're carrying—it's part of what holds the world together. Without it, things will only get worse."

And Kael felt the weight of her words settle upon his shoulders. "And you think that somehow all this is related to me?"

"I don't think," Rhea said, her gaze steady. "I know. That shard reacted to you, didn't it? It's bound to you now. Whether you like it or not, you're part of this.

Kael's footsteps faltered as the reality of her words finally set in. He thought of the flash of light that had brought him here, the pulsating shard in his hand, and the beast he somehow managed to defeat without understanding how.

"Great," he muttered under his breath. "Just what I needed—a magical destiny I didn't sign up for."

Rhea's sharp hearing caught his words, and she smirked faintly. "You're handling it better than most would."

Before Kael could respond, a sudden rustling in the bushes ahead stopped them both in their tracks. Rhea's hand flew to the hilt of her sword, her posture tense and ready.

"Stay behind me," she whispered, her voice low and commanding.

Kael didn't,; his heart racing at each rustling that grew louder. A second later, a figure burst from the undergrowth-a man, disheveled and bleeding, his eyes wild with fear.

"Help!" he gasped, stumbling toward them. "Please, they're coming!"

Rhea caught him before he fell, her grip firm but not unkind. "Who's coming?".

His voice shook as he said, "More raiders. A group of them. they are tracking me. They will be here any moment."

Kael's stomach twisted as he glanced back at Rhea. Her face had fallen grave, but was not daunted.

"Keep going," she directed as she hauled the man onwards. "We must find shelter-and fast.

Kael followed; his mind was racing. The shard in his pocket grew heavier with every step, its glow faintly pulsing, as if reacting to the building tension. Whatever he had gotten himself into, this was only the beginning.